Good Bye
by Lady Yue-chan
Summary: The hardest thing about death is not the dying, but saying good bye to your loved ones.


_**Good Bye**_

She was dead. Or maybe she should say, she was dead again. She had died once before when she had been attacked by a pack of wolves four years ago.

It was a strange feeling to be dead. She was no longer in pain, like she had been when she was dying. Of course, to be in pain one had to have a body and she was just a spirit who was now staring down at her body.

Her dark brown eyes were still open and looked vacant. No longer did they contain that vivacious energy and impish glint in them that they had contained when she had been alive. Her silk kimono, which had been a pale blue, or powder blue as Kagome-chan liked to call it, was soiled with dirt and drying blood.

Blood around a gaping hole in her chest. Although she had no corporal form, she shivered as she stared at that hole.

She would have never had died if she had stayed hidden as her lord had bid her to do. She had always obeyed him, but this time she had defied his orders to save the life of another. To save the life of the one who she knew without a doubt would one day be her lord's mate if he would only admit to himself that he cared.

Spending four years in the company with the stoic tai-youkai had taught her how to see the signs that could clue her into his moods and thoughts. And she had noticed that after each encounter with the wind youkai, her lord would remain quiet for the rest of the day and nothing she did could lure him into one of their evening conversations about whatever subject that caught her fancy at the time.

Sure, she usually did most of the talking, but she still felt that during their conversations, her lord would open himself up a little bit more to her. And she was certain that he enjoyed their conversations as much as she did, so for him to become so distant that she couldn't reach him…. well it could only be something serious and being a romantic young girl, the only thing that could be that serious was finding the one you were your destined for.

Even Jaken-sama, who was usually quite dense when it came to their lord's moods, had commented upon it one night as they both watched their lord from a distance.

She watched as her lord approached her body, his face as cold and emotionless as it had been that first day she came across him in that clearing, wounded from a battle with his half-brother, Inu Yasha. He pulled Tenseiga out of its sheath, but she knew it would be useless now that her soul had been separated from her body by the messengers of death. The only reason why they had not taken her to heaven was because she had begged them to allow her enough time to see that her friends survived and to say goodbye, even though they could not see her.

Her lord slashed at her body with Tenseiga and she felt the slight tug coming from the direction of her body, but nothing more. He slashed her body again and then again, but she no longer felt the tugging sensation as she had before.

Her lord looked down at the sword in his hand with disgust, "Worthless fang. You cannot kill and now you cannot even do the simple task that you were forged for?"

He moved to throw the sword for him and forgetting that she no longer had a mortal body, she grabbed hand and held tightly while crying, "No, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Rin, is that you" he questioned, looking straight down at her and she realized that he could see her. Somehow by holding Tenseiga and having physical contact with her spirit, it had allowed her lord to see her.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," she answered him.

"If you are here, then why have you not returned to your body," he demanded.

"It is too late, Sesshoumaru-sama. The thread that connects my soul to my body has been severed by the messengers of death. My spirit can no longer return to my body," she replied, staring up into golden eyes that had watched over her for four years, protecting her from her nightmares and from the evil youkai who had tried to use her to harm her lord.

"Rin."

Rin turned and saw the spirit of the taijiya, Sango standing beside the messengers of death. One of the messengers turned and made a slashing motion in the air that caused a blinding tunnel of light to appear behind them as another messenger took Sango's hand and began tugging her towards the light. Sango shook her head and pointed to Rin.

She turned back and looked up at her lord.

"I cannot stay any longer, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said. "I only stayed this long so I could say goodbye."

"Then go," replied her lord, turning his eyes away from her.

But she wasn't hurt by his words and actions towards her because she already knew what she meant to him

"I love you, Papa," she whispered as she slowly let go of his hand and walked towards the light. She took Sango's hand and together they walked into and disappeared into the tunnel of light The last thing she heard in the earthly realm was the agonized howl of rage of the father of her heart.

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_**Final Thought from Rin:**_

_Papa..._

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_**Author's Note:**_

_This story is a one-shot that I wrote for a InuYasha story that I started writing a few years ago. I'm in the process of debating on whether I wish to blow the dust off that old story and finish it. However, the way this story was written allows it to stand alone regardless if that other piece is never shared again._

_Also on another note, while this story is written to hint at a Sesshoumaru/Kagura pairing, I am not adverse to Sesshoumaru/Rin pairing as long as it well thought out and done right. _

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_**-chan**__ - suffix for a name that means family or close friend. may be offensive ifyou don't know that person well._

_**tai-youkai**__ - demon lord, usually used in InuYasha fanfics to refer to the leader of all youkai_

_**youkai **__- term used to refer to ghosts or monsters. Often translated in English as demon._

_**-sama**__ - suffix used to refer to one of higher rank or one who the speaker greatly admires. When used to refer to oneself, it expresses extreme arrogance/confidence._

_**Tenseiga**__ - Sesshoumaru's sword that he inherited from his father. Known as the "Sword of Life"_

_**taijiya**__ - demon slayer_

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**Disclaimer:** I do not claim any rights to **InuYasha** or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Takahashi Rumiko and anyone else she says has rights to it.


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